Operating submarine gr



. C. 1:". PIKE.

Operating Submarine-Grapplng Tool.

Patented June 8,418.80.

W] T NESSES IN VENTOR v 2ML 0'.' F. 101m amygud@ ATTORNEY UNITD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

INTERNATIONAL SUBMARINE COMPANY, OF NEW HAVEN, CONN,

OPERATING suBMARiNl-z GRAPPLlNe-TLS.

SPECIFICATION formingpartv of Letters Patent No. 228,557, dated June 8, 1880.

Application filed December 2, 1879.

To all whom4 'it may concern:

Be it known that 1', CHARLES F.PIKE, of i Philadelphia, in the county ot' Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new `5 and useful Improvements in Submarine Grappling-Tools and 1 do hereby declare the yfollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention has for its object the manipulation of tongs, scoops, and 'similar tools iu submarine operations by a power independent of that exerted by the diver; and it consists, mainly-finthc combination, broadly, withthe tubes of a hydraulic grasping device, of valves located in the tubes near the device. for the purpose of enabling the diver controlling the same to actuate the valves, as will be fully described hereinafter.'

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a pair o f tongs and its attachments, with the cylinder in section; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3, afront elevation of a modified form; Fig. 4, a side view of the same, and Fig. 5 a modified construction of the cylinder.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to 3o describe the same fully.

A, Figs. 1 and 2, represents a cylinder of anyv proper construction, which is essentially provided with suitable pipes a a', leading from openings in the cylinder at opposite ends of 1 the same, as shown.

handles of which are united by a commgu con` necting rod or bar, a4, Fig..2, as shown.

a5 a6 represent flexible tubes leadingfrom the upper ends of pipes aa" to theboat above, lor to any desired point.

B, Figs. l and 2, represents `a rod or bar rigidly united to the cylinder in any proper manner, the upper end of which 4is provided with the eye b or other proper means for permitting the attachment of the chain b', and the lower end with the eye b2, Fig. 2, or other proper means for permitting the attachment `5o ofthe tongs mechanism, hereinafter referred to.

C, Fig. 1,represents the piston-head, located within the cylinder and adapte-d to move therein, which is provided with the piston-rod c, extending through a proper opening in the lower head of the cylinder, as shown.

- D D, Figs. 1 and 2, represent link-bars, strongly pivoted at their upper ends to the lowerend of the bar B, and at their lower ends to the upper ends of the tong-levers, as

shown. y

E E, Figs. 1 and 2, represent the tong-levers,consisting of suitable bars having curved and pointed ends below, as shown, which are crossed near the upper ends, and stronglypivotedat thepoint of crossing to thev bar c, ex- 'tending outward from the lower end of the piston-rod c, as shown.

The modified form shown in Figs. 3 and 4 will now be described.

F, Figs. 3 and 4, represents a cylinder con- 7o structed 'substantially' like that previously described, and provided with same pipes f f', Fig-3.

f2 f2 represent arms rigidly united 'to the cylinder, which extend in apdownward direction, and are provided below with bearings for the pivot-shaft-f3 of-lthe scoop `or tong levers, as shown.

G G, Figs. 3- and 4, represent the scooplevers, consisting of suitably-bent bars, pro- Se vided above with the eyes g g, having ringsfg g', Fig. 3, for the lifting-'chain g2, :and below with the scoops g3 g?, 4as show-n.

f3 represents the ixed pivot-shaft, ybefore ,referred to, by means of which `the scoop-lea2 a3 represent valves, of any proper construction, located in the pipes, the arms or vers are properly held '.atthe point of crossing. H H, Figs. 3 and iii, represent link-bars, pivo'ted at the upper end's'to fthe lower end of the piston-rod of 'fthe :cylinderandfat their lower ends to the scoop-levers, :as shown. The operation Lis substantially as follows:

` By properly v.actuating the val-ves and admitting thereby fthe airfor water Vfrom any proper source of supply, ithegpiston is reci-procated in thecylinder fand caused to :open 'or close the 95 tongs'or scoops, V:according to the circumstances .ofthe .case, as .may-be desired. [n the form shown in Figs. fl =andi2 the tongs are opened by the upward movement of the piston `and'fclose'dbyits downward movement. ret

In the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the scoops are closed by the upward movement of' the piston and opened byitsdowuward movement.

The modified form ofeylindershown in Fig.

5 will now be described.

I represents the cylinder, provided below with the openings i i andabove with the singlesupply and discharge pipe i', controlled by any-:suitable valve. The operation of' this cylinder is as follows: Thedownward movement ot' thepiston is effected by hydraulic orl atmospheric pressure received through the pipe i from any proper source of supply. Ihe up-v ward m'ovement of the piston is caused by the pressure of lthe water alone, the resistance upon the upper side of the same bei ng removed by the escape ofthe watervor air contained in the cylinder through the pipe i.

Some` of the advantages of the described construction are as follows: By the employment of a power independent of that exerted by the diver to open and close the tongs he is relieved from the excessive labor which is required to perform this operation, owing to the pressure ot' the water. By the employment of power, also, rapidity of movement is obtained in opening-and closing the tongs or scoops, in consequence of which much valuable time is saved.

In the form of construction shown in Figs.

ySuch that the same 3 and 4 the power is' applied more advantageouslyfthat is, a harder gripe is given the article grasped, with a less expenditure oi' power.

In all the various forms shown the controlling-valves are located near the grasping device, so that when the tongs are lowered to the place of operation they may be guided to the precise point desired by the diver, and also be applied properly to the object which it is desired to raise, without the exercise of any special muscular force.

I am aware that itfis not new to employ steam, pneumatic, ory hydraulic pressure by means of a cylinder, piston, and communicating-pipes to actuate submarine grapplingbuckets, and therefore I do not broadly claim such employment; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, broadly, with the tubes of a hydraulic grasping' device, of' valves in the tubes near the device, the construction beingI person who guides the device to theobject to be grasped may actuate the valves and apply the same thereto, substantially as hereinbet'ore set forth.

CHAS. F. PIKE.

Witnesses:

' H. W; README,-A

V. W. WEST. 

